Owners Must Comply With New Business A/C Law

City officials are reminding Queens business owners to shut their doors and close their windows when temperatures rise this summer.

A law that became effective in 2016 requires owners of small, medium and large stores and other businesses to shut their windows and doors when their air conditioners are on.

Under the law, sponsored by Astoria Councilmember Costa Consstantinides, owners who fail to comply will receive a warning until July 1. Owners who fail to comply after July 1 could face a violation that carries a fine of $250 to $1,000.

The measure expands on a law passed by the City Council in 2008 that requires commercial establishments 4,000-square-feet or larger to shut their doors while air conditioners are in use.Under the new law, owners are required to post a notice on all entrances and exits urging the public to call 911 to report violators. DCA officials said the agency has instructed its inspectors to “come down hard” on violators.

The city Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) has printed stickers emblazoned with the logo, “Shut The Front Door” for distribution to 10,000 businesses throughout the five boroughs that will be affected by the new law.